Survived Ian with minimal casualties

The rain remnants of Ian were not welcome. The grapes are swollen and the clusters are fragile. But they survived. We’ll now take advantage of a string of beautiful, sunny, crisp days. The grapes should lose much of the dilution and re-concentrate.  Harvest will resume on Saturday. By Wednesday all the red grapes (Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon) will be picked. 

The cold temperatures during the rain are what saved us. The vines, the grapes, and rot microorganisms were practically dormant. This inactivity mitigated what could have been a disaster. This confirms our belief that later ripening grapes are Virginia’s best option for a warming climate. Cool temperatures during the last phase of ripening improve wine quality and there are less problems with wet conditions.

Having said all this, at this point we certainly can’t “declare” the vintage. The 2022 growing season from start to finish has been unique. Each grape variety reacted differently to the swings in temperatures and soil moisture. Ultimately the wines will speak. 

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: October 6, 2022